Best restaurants in Somerset: where to eat and drink in this green, produce-rich county

Looking for great places to eat in Somerset? Local writer Jenna Walters shares her must-visit favourites, from wood-fired pizza in an 18th-century chapel to cider-fuelled afternoons by the river.

For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks, best pubs with rooms and foodie day trips from London by train. Also discover more of the best restaurants in Bristol, best restaurants in Cornwall and best restaurants in Bath.

The Sheppey Inn, Lower Godney

Set on the Somerset Levels with little around it for miles, The Sheppey Inn is everything you wouldn’t expect – inside you’re greeted with retro toys, disco balls and live music that drifts
out onto the riverside terrace, which is perfect in sunshine and during sunsets, especially with a cider or cocktail in hand. But it’s the food that really stands out: vegetarian dishes are great and the Korean fried chicken burger steals your attention – no small feat in a place this wonderfully weird. thesheppey.co.uk

Canteen at Perrys, Dowlish Wake

Tucked away on a cider farm with thatched barns and orchards to roam, Canteen at Perrys serves proper street food alongside café classics. Order a meze bowl, add a Perrys cider tasting paddle and settle under the blossom, or, come autumn, soak up the scent of pressed apples. Brunch is notoriously good and the Somerset tea – think scones and jam, but also scotch eggs and toasties – makes it a great coffee and cake stop. canteenatperrys.uk

Holm, South Petherton

Relaxed restaurant dining that celebrates the very best of Somerset’s produce is exactly what you’ll find here. Set in a former bank in South Petherton, Holm is a calm, modern space with a seasonal menu that’s shaped by local farmers, growers and makers. The wine list is superb – get acquainted with it on the sunny terrace. Go for the chef ’s menu, order the Westcombe cheddar fries and trust that you’ll be talking about the mont blanc choux long after. holmsomerset.co.uk

Lord Poulett Arms, Hinton Saint George

This is the kind of country pub you’ll end up recommending a lot: thatched roof, low garden with a Somerset Pimm’s beams and open fires that draw you in for a post-dog walk pint and bar snacks. In summer, afternoons in the garden with a Somerset are something of a ritual. The food is reliably excellent – especially the roasts and nostalgic puds. The molten chocolate skillet cookie is always tempting, unless local cheeses get there first. lordpoulettarms.com

Da Costa, Bruton

A visit to Hauser & Wirth nearly always leads to a table here. This is proper Italian cooking, shaped by the seasons and surrounding countryside. Gather with friends, go big on the sharing plates and pair a bottle with the homemade pasta – the kind you’d normally have to book a flight for. The estate venison with creamy polenta is a favourite for very good reason, and the tiramisu is absolutely essential – indulgent and boozy. da-costa.co.uk

Horrell & Horrell, Sparkford

Every weekend, Steve and Jules open the doors of their beautiful garden barn and personally invite you in. Or, at least, that’s how you’ll feel. The dining experience is seasonal and menu-free, with four courses guided by the week’s harvest and cooked over fire, all served at a long communal table. Expect generous, sensational dishes like wood-roasted lamb or raspberry crostata with pistachio and Italian meringue, and an evening that feels like a dinner party with friends. horrellandhorrell.co.uk

North Down Orchard, Haselbury Plucknett

Come summer North Down Orchard transforms into a mini festival most weekends, and locals flock to the rustic cider barn for live music and a weekly rotating line-up of seriously good street food vendors – if you smell wood-fired tacos, don’t hesitate! It’s well loved, the cider’s strong and it’s exactly where you’ll want to spend a warm evening with friends (preferably with no plans the next morning). Completely Somerset and very much a word of mouth favourite. northdownorchard.com

At The Station, Frome

A former train station turned buzzy food hall, At the Station is home to a brilliant mixture of independents – bakery, cheesemonger, pizzeria and wine bar – all in one lively collaborative space. Order what you fancy to share at a sunny table. Whether it’s a Rye Bakery pizza and south Indian curry, or a bottle paired with a cheeseboard you won’t find elsewhere, it’s one of the easiest places to eat well with friends. atthestationfrome.com

The Cotley Inn, Wambrook

This peaceful country pub surrounded by rolling hills is as much a rural escape as it is a feasting favourite. Having one of the best beer gardens around makes it the easiest ‘yes’ on summer afternoons, enjoying pizzas served from the hut or spending the evening by the fire pit. The Sunday roasts are seriously good – big sharing boards piled high with all the trimmings. It feels a bit like being on holiday, just with a Somerset cider in hand. cotleyinnwambrook.co.uk

The Manor House Inn, Ditcheat

A 17th-century inn and boozer at heart, this is everything you want in a proper country pub: relaxed, full of character and with great local pints and cosy corners to settle into. Seasonal, comforting pub food is done really well here and the pizzas pair superbly with lazy garden drinks. Come hungry – three courses are hard to resist. Order the scotch egg to start and leave room for the sticky toffee pudding. Welcoming and well loved, and rightly so. manorhouseinnditcheat.co.uk

At the Chapel, Bruton

If you spend any time in Bruton you’ll almost certainly end up here. The beautifully renovated 18th-century chapel is home to a very stylish, relaxed restaurant that serves seasonal dishes and much talked about wood-fired pizzas alongside a bakery that’s reason enough to stop by. Get there early for your pick of almond croissants, cinnamon cruffins or a Somerset ham and Westcombe cheddar croissant – or do the sensible thing and order all three before exploring. atthechapel.co.uk

Wraxall Vineyard, Shepton Mallet

Perched on a hillside with sweeping countryside views, Wraxall Vineyard is a place to truly slow down and enjoy yourself. Book a tour and tasting, wander through the vines, then find a spot on the terrace at The View wine bar to enjoy a Somerset cheese and charcuterie board, and a bottle of extremely sippable Wraxall bacchus just in time for sunset. For a longer stay the cottages and shepherd’s huts make for a wonderfully peaceful escape. wraxallvineyard.co.uk

Foodie neighbourhood spotlight

Bruton

This pint-sized but flavour-steeped Somerset town has an abundance of exceptional field to fork spots, plus galleries, independents and vintage shops dotted in between.

Make a weekend of it by staying at Number One Bruton – whether unwinding in the cosy cottages or beautifully decorated Georgian townhouse, you’ll arrive to a welcome hamper filled with local produce. It’s also home to Briar, where chef Sam Lomas serves hyper-seasonal, locally led small plates as part of a menu that changes daily.

Wander down the high street to find The Old Pharmacy, a wine bar, bistro and grocery with great things to take home, plus a menu worth staying for. Over at Matt’s Kitchen it’s BYOB alongside a five-course set menu, cooked by Matt and served in his old living room – relaxed, welcoming and reliably brilliant.

It’s also worth heading a little further afield – two or three fields, to be precise – to Westcombe Dairy for rich cheddar, or Hauser & Wirth for a post-gallery wine at Roth Bar, before shopping for Somerset bites from the farm shop opposite.

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